Ex-Packers safety Nick Collins still wants to play football again

[LambeauLegs]

Nick Collins says he wants to play football again. Do you think there is a team that will take him and give him a chance?

Ex-Packers safety Nick Collins still wants to play football again - JSOnline

Green Bay --- Nick Collins has not given up hope on playing football again.

The Packers safety who suffered a neck injury Week 2 of the 2011 season and was eventually released by the team made it clear on Twitter Monday that he still wants to play. In back-to-back tweets (see below), Collins said he is "ready for action" and "ready to dominate."

Green Bay's medical staff would not clear Collins the off-season after the 2011 season and he has not played in the two seasons since. Now 30 years old, Collins underwent cervical fusion surgery.
At the time of the safety's release, general manager Ted Thompson said he was not comfortable clearing Collins to play.

“From the beginning of this process, we have taken our time and sought numerous medical opinions while maintaining consistent dialogue with Nick," Thompson said in a statement then. "In the end, we were not comfortable clearing him to play again. As with all of our players, Nick is a member of our family and we thought of him that way as we came to this conclusion.

“Nick is a part of our core, and this is a very difficult day for all Packers. Making this kind of decision is never easy, especially when it involves someone like Nick Collins. He has meant so much to the community, his teammates and the organization. He is a good man and will always be part of the Packers family.”

The decision is not entirely Collins' to make. He would need to be cleared by a team. Also, if he had an insurance policy --- similar to Jermichael Finley's --- the safety may be forfeiting that money upon returning. Not to mention, the obvious injury risk in returning.

Playing the sport again, period, is a decision Collins has agonized with since the injury happened. And then as an honorary captain in Green Bay's playoff game against San Francisco this year, Collins spoke about adjusting to life after football.

"Personally, I really haven't made a decision," Collins said then. "I have no control of it, so I'm satisfied. I'm happy, you know. I get to do things with my kids, with my wife that I never thought I'd be able to do until after I finished the game of football. It's an adjustment, but so far, I'm doing pretty good with it."

With the fusion surgery, the disk was removed and replaced with a bone graft from his hip. A titanium plate is then screwed into the two vertebrae --- in this case the C-3 and C-4 --- to hold them together.

Multiple sources close to Collins have maintained that the safety wants to play football again. But even if he did return, it's difficult seeing him play in Green Bay considering the team would not medically clear the safety.

Green Bay's safeties struggled in 2013, failing to grab an interception while giving up too many big plays.

 

[Mondio]

I'd love to have him back there. Our d would instantly take 10 steps forward, but I seriously doubt he'd be cleared to play. He wanted to play last year too, doesn't mean a team is going to clear him

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

I'd love to have him back there. Our d would instantly take 10 steps forward, but I seriously doubt he'd be cleared to play. He wanted to play last year too, doesn't mean a team is going to clear him

This. Jason Wilde already said he contacted a few doctors and Collins agent. Collins condition hasn't improved to the point that the risk has diminished

 

[Trudem]

I would rather he step away and stay healthy than risk potentially something more catastrophic.

 

[wiskyisgood12]

I would love to see him back out on the field, especially in a Packers uni. However, as another poster said, I think the risk is far higher than the reward.